Author Archives: David Bryant

Despite a nagging, cold easterly breeze 15 members assembled at this large, secluded reserve hemmed in by the Mersey and the Manchester Ship Canal. Some arrived by car, others by train into Warrington Central and then the No.3 bus to … Continue reading →

On a rather cloudy, windy day with the occasional brief downpour the MNA commenced its 2012 programme with a coach trip to Lancashire’s largest natural lake and a SSSI, an area of open water, reedbeds, grassland and scrub close to … Continue reading →

This was a vintage day for raptors in an amazing frosted and misty environment of grassland, copses, arable, scrub, coverts, deep ditches and the heavily embanked River Alt – almost reminiscent of the Fens. Richard and I started off with … Continue reading →

A warm day with blue skies and a gentle NW breeze greeted a good turnout of 16 MNA members outside the Grand Hotel near the pier, most having travelled by train. The plan was circuit of the Orme by way … Continue reading →

Early Saturday morning hardly looked promising, prolonged heavy rain and wind, as some of us assembled at the Liverpool ONE bus station for the 82A to Hale Bank but sheer optimism drives you on! During the journey patches of blue … Continue reading →

In view of an exceptionally high tide, 10.2 metres, I headed upriver for a change towards the old sandstone quay below Neston’s sewage plant. Seaward it proved rather quiet – numerous Shelduck, a dozen or so Pintail, one Short-eared Owl … Continue reading →

Calm weather with blue skies were forecast and so I took the train to Holyhead and made my way to Penrhos Coastal Park which is close to the causeway carrying the railway and A55. The tide was out, the remaining … Continue reading →

Quite a productive foray by myself and Sabena over a series of days. Blackening Russule Russula nigricans, Red-cracked Bolete Xerocomus chrysenteron, The Charcoal Burner Russula cyanoxantha, Common Stinkhorn Phallus impudicus, Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus, Common Earthball Scleroderma citrinum, Judas’s Ear … Continue reading →

After several weeks of overcast damp weather 15 members enjoyed a warm sunny day. The Heather, Gorse and Silver Birch produced 2 fungi, The Blusher and Slippery Jack, and 6 butterflies – Small Copper, Meadow Brown, Large White, Common Blue, Peacock, Gatekeeper. … Continue reading →

Sunny,warm and humid – best day of the week. In the small overgrown quarry I counted 145 specimens of the rare limestone woundwort. Plenty of butterflies in such a small area with large skipper, comma, ringlet, meadow brown and gatekeeper. … Continue reading →